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Pin clampRelated Patent Categories: Work Holders, With Fluid Means, Cylinder-piston Means In Series With Additional Positioning Means, Mechanical Means Between Fluid Means And JawPin clamp description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070182080, Pin clamp. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/098,177 entitled "Pin Clamp" filed on Apr. 4, 2005, which is related to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/559,364, filed on Apr. 2, 2004, entitled "Pin Clamp" and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/636,304, filed on Dec. 15, 2004, entitled "Pin Clamp Assembly." The subject matter disclosed in these applications is hereby expressly incorporated into the present application. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The present disclosure is generally related to gripper or clamp assemblies, and more specifically, the present disclosure is related to pin clamps that can selectively grip a work piece. BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY [0003] Pin clamps which use movable locating pins to engage and grip a work piece are known. Characteristically, such pin clamps employ a reciprocally or rectilinearly moving locating pin with a movable finger or fingers positioned therein. The locating pin extends to engage a hole in a work piece such as a metal sheet. The locating pin then retracts causing the finger or fingers within the locating pin to extend and hold the work piece. Conventional pin clamps include an assembly of complicated cams, cam pins, slots, and finger mechanisms in order to accomplish this task. Some clamps use multiple cam followers or cam slots within their twist pin to move the fingers. This design requires specially made cam followers which limit available tolerances in the twist pin and in the over all design. In addition, using a single dowel in contrast to a plurality of cam followers in the twist pin, for example, is advantageous because the dowel can rotate reducing wear on the cams. Also, a single, inexpensive dowel can provide precise alignment within the single bore without fasteners being required, and removing the single dowel allows the pin to be disassembled without a complicated procedure. [0004] Moreover, complicated pin clamp designs prevent the pin clamp from becoming adaptable to achieve additional functions useful on an assembly line. For example, unlocking mechanisms on a pin clamp when fluid power is lost can be useful in servicing applications on the assembly line. Adjustable collars or shrouds that adapt to the particular shape or thickness about the work piece can also be useful to prevent debris from contaminating the movable locating pin. [0005] Accordingly, an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure provides a pin clamp assembly which comprises, a housing, a locating pin, a body, a twist pin, and a single cam pin. The body extends from the locating pin. Both the body and the locating pin include longitudinally extending cavities contiguously disposed therein. The body also includes longitudinally extending and opposed slots, each disposed from opposed exterior surfaces of the body and into the cavity. At least a portion of the locating pin and the body is located in a bore disposed through the housing. The twist pin is disposed in the longitudinally extending cavities of the locating pin and body. The twist pin includes a longitudinally extending cavity disposed therein, and longitudinally extending and opposed cam slots disposed from opposed exterior surfaces of the twist pin and into the cavity therein. The single cam pin is coupled to the housing within the bore and extending there across. The single cam pin is also disposed through the opposed slots and cavity in the body located within the bore of the housing, and disposed through the opposed cam slots and cavity of the twist pin. [0006] In the above and other illustrative embodiments, the pin clamp assembly may further comprise: an actuator that moves the body and the twist pin in linearly reciprocal directions, causing the slots of the body to move with respect to the cam pin, causing the cam pin to move with respect to the cam slots causing the twist pin to rotate about an axis located perpendicular to the cam pin; the actuator being pneumatic; an electrically driven actuator that drives at least one carrier that drives a rod in communication with the body that moves the body and the twist pin in linearly reciprocal directions, causing the slots of the body to move with respect to the cam pin causing the cam pin to move with respect to the cam slots causing the twist pin to rotate about an axis located perpendicular to the cam pin; a locking mechanism that selectively restricts movement of the body; the locking mechanism comprising a first wedging surface located on the body, a second wedging surface located opposite the first wedging surface, a wedge member, and a bias member, wherein the wedge member engages the first and second wedging surfaces and is held by the bias; the locking mechanism preventing movement of the locating pin in one direction while allowing movement of the locating pin in an opposite direction; a sleeve located exterior of the housing and collaring a portion of the locating pin which also extends exterior of the housing; at least one shim located between the housing and the sleeve to increase the amount of collaring of the locating pin by the sleeve; and the shim being a plurality of shims to vary the mount of collaring of the locating pin by the sleeve. [0007] Another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure provides a pin clamp assembly which comprises a housing, a locating pin, an actuator and a locating mechanism. The housing forms an internal cavity and an opening from said cavity to the exterior of said housing. The locating pin is disposed in the cavity and extends out of the opening to a distal end. The actuator moves the locating pin into and out of the opening. The locking mechanism selectively restricts movement of the locating pin. [0008] In the above and other illustrative embodiments, the pin clamp assembly may further comprise: the locking mechanism comprising a first wedging surface located on the locating pin, a second wedging surface located opposite the first wedging surface, a wedge member, and a bias member, wherein the wedge member engages the first and second wedging surfaces and is held by the bias; the locking mechanism preventing movement of the locating pin in one direction while allowing movement of the locating pin in an opposite direction; a sleeve located exterior of the housing and collaring a portion of the locating pin which extends exterior of the housing; at least one shim located between the housing and the sleeve to increase the amount of collaring of the locating pin by the sleeve; and the shim being a plurality of shims to vary the mount of collaring of the locating pin by the sleeve. [0009] Another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure provides a pin clamp assembly which comprises a body, a locating pin, fingers, a sleeve and at least one shim. The housing has a bore disposed therethrough. A portion of the locating pin is located interior of the housing and another portion extends exterior of the housing. The fingers selectively extend and retract from the locating pin exterior of the housing. The sleeve is located exterior of the housing and shrouds the portion of the locating pin that extends exterior of the housing. The shim is located between the sleeve and the housing to affect the amount of the locating pin is shrouded. [0010] Additional features and advantages of the pin clamp will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the illustrated embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the pin clamp as presently perceived. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS [0011] The present disclosure will be described hereafter with reference to the attached drawings which are given as non-limiting examples only, in which: [0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of a pin clamp assembly; [0013] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the pin clamp assembly of FIG. 1; [0014] FIGS. 3a and b are side and detailed cross-sectional views, respectively, of the pin clamp of FIG. 1; [0015] FIGS. 4a through 4d are various perspective views of the pin clamp assembly of FIG. 1; [0016] FIG. 5a and b are side and detail views respectively, of a portion of the pin clamp assembly of FIG. 1, showing an illustrative embodiment of the locking mechanism; [0017] FIG. 6 is a detailed view of a portion of the pin clamp of FIG. 5a also showing the locking mechanism; [0018] FIGS. 7a through 7c are exploded, perspective, and cross-sectional detail views of an illustrative embodiment of a shim and sleeve assembly; [0019] FIGS. 8a through 8d are several cross-sectional views of a portion of the pin clamp showing another embodiment of a shim and sleeve assembly, as well as an illustrative embodiment of a wiper seal; [0020] FIG. 9 is an exploded view of another illustrative embodiment of a pin clamp assembly having an electric actuator coupled thereto; Continue reading about Pin clamp... Full patent description for Pin clamp Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Pin clamp patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Pin clamp or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Spin unit in wafer spinner apparatus and method of repositioning spin unit Next Patent Application: Binding apparatus, paper processing apparatus and image forming system Industry Class: Work holders ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Pin clamp patent info. 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